Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a system and method for the delivery of powder-form dietary supplements and/or pharmaceuticals in measured doses to be mixed with liquid and consumed by drinking.
Description of Related Art
A dietary supplement provides a person (or animal) with nutrients that may otherwise not normally consume in sufficient quantities. As used herein, the term dietary supplement and nutritional supplement are used more or less interchangeably and are intended to broadly define any and all types of vitamins, minerals, fibers, fatty acids, proteins, amino acids, herbal medicines, bodybuilding supplements, pharmaceuticals, therapeutics, medicines, drugs, treatments and any other like substance that is ingested for useful purposes. It has been reported that more than half of the U.S. adult population regularly consumes non-pharmaceutical dietary supplements, with the most common type being multi-vitamins. When considering also medicinal forms of dietary supplements, the number is substantially higher.
The traditional market for the manufacture and intake of dietary supplements are most often produced in a tablet or capsule form. Pills and capsules are difficult for many people to swallow and/or digest. Manufacturing of such dietary supplements in pill/tablet form requires the use of fillers and/or binding agents in order to produce a tablet that is solid and has an acceptable shelf life. Manufactured tablets or capsules are often large which tends to limit the amount of active ingredient content. Many consumers will avoid or are unable to take large pills, which leaves the consumer with few attractive alternatives.
The dietary supplement industry has tried to address this issue by providing rapidly dissolving tablets and chewable tablets. Dietary supplements in dissolving tablet or chewable form have many of the same negative attributes of capsules and tablets, such as they typically contain fillers, sugars or binding agents which limit the amount of active ingredient content. The excessive use of fillers and binding agents resists digestion in the human (or animal) body; numerous studies have concluded that pill-form vitamins with even moderate amounts of fillers and/or binding agents can pass through the human digestive system with only a fraction of the active ingredients having been absorbed in the body. Gel-type tablets have been developed to help address the absorption issues, but tend to be even larger and more difficult to swallow especially for those who suffer with esophageal dysphagia.
Swallowing large pills, and even small pills for some, are difficult for many people. Those who are elderly, those with throat conditions, and children typically experience the most discomfort ingesting pill/tablet form dietary supplements. And in addition to humans, many conscientious pet owners would like to provide dietary supplements to their dog or cat or horse or other valued animal. Some pets will resist taking a dietary supplement in pill-form, regardless of pill size. And some animals have a more rapid digestive through-put than humans, making pills with substantial amounts of fillers and binding agents even less effective by passing through the animal's body before a sufficient load of the active ingredients having been absorbed.
Another issue with prior art dietary supplements relates to correct dosing. As many dietary supplements are sold “over-the-counter”, many consumers will form a subconscious understanding that the dietary supplements do not need to be taken with the same high level of care as they might otherwise give to prescription medicines. As an effect of this subconscious belief, the average consumer may not be as concerned about missing a daily dose, or perhaps at the other extreme of taking two doses when only one is recommended. For example, a busy or distracted person might not recall if they had taken their vitamin pill that day. This person might think “No big deal, I will take one tomorrow”. Or they might think, “No big deal, I will take another pill just to be safe”. In both cases, the person runs the risk of either over-dosing or under-dosing their intake of the dietary supplement. Of course, pills boxes and the like have been developed to help organize pill consumption for people, but such are normally used for prescription medicines only and require a high degree of discipline to use regularly.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved dietary supplement system that reduces the use of fillers and binding agents, and that reduces the likelihood of over-dosing and under-dosing, and that is easily swallowed, and that is rapidly digested. Furthermore, there is a need for a dispensing device that is travel friendly.